Vacuum operated governor for gas motors



Aug. 16, 1949. H. w. RAMEY VACUUM OPERATED eovnnuon on GAS MOTORS Filed J l 29, 1946 fil /I") 15 "1 11 10 9 z a f j 1" f 0 5 0 vneuu'n Mam 1 Patented Aug. 16, .1949

VACUUM OPERATED GOVERNOR FOB GAS MOTORS Harold W. Barney, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to 1 C. F. Strover; Harold W. Barney and Claude E.

Los Angeles, Calif. a

Bronte, doing business as S. 12.8. Company,

5 Application July 29, me, Serial No. 686,981

My invention relates to control means for gas motors. Heretofore gas engine governors or control devices have been arranged to respond to the motor speed. That is, the governor is designed to close the throttle of a gas motor automatically when the speed exceeds a predetermined setting; however, such governor has no effect on the motor as long as its speed is below the selected speed, as a result a speed control governor is entirely unsuited in those applica-\ tions, such as oil well pumping, where the gas engine is subiectedto a cyclic load fluctuation.

It is a common characteristic of internal combustion gas motors of the multiple cylinder type that the power output of the engine output shaft varies with the vacuum drawn at the intake manifold. That is, when the engine is operating at a selected speed and at maximum power, the manifoldpressure is high (1. e. low vacuum) while at minimum power, the manifold pressure is low (1. e. high vacuum).

3 Claims. (Cl. 123-118) 'the gas engine may be automatically shut off,

thus providing a control means which will automatically shut off a gas engine drive of a. shipping" pump after oil in a storagetank has been pumped into a pipeline, or if utilized on a gas engine driven well pump will automatically shut oil the engine in the event the sucker rods should 7 break.

Under such constant operating conditions there is a definite relationship between the throttle valve position and the power output; i. e., open position at maximum power output and almost closed at minimum power output. However, under changing conditions, as for sample when the load is suddenly relieved the motor increases 1 its speed,'decreasing the manifold pressure even though the throttle valve setting remains the same.

Included in the objects of my invention are:

First, to provide a control means which makes use of the decrease or increasein manifold pressure as the load is relieved or increased to effect automatic closing or opening of the throttle valve, thereby to control the power output by throttllns the fuel input in accordance with he manifold pressure; that is, to provide a control means which does notefiect adjustment of the gas engine solely in accordance with a selected speed, but instead in accordance with the actual power required to move its load at the selected speed, whereby cyclic variations above and below the average constant load, as in the pumping of oil wells, being reflected in change in manifold pressure are compensated for automatically by my control means.

Second, to provide s. control means which,

should the load be suddenly removed, whether deliberately as by disengagement of a. clutch or accidentally as by breaking of the sucker rods in a pumpingwelL'the sudden drop in manifold pressure is utilized to throttle the gas engine to idling speed. I

Third, to provide a control means of this character which may be so arranged that in the event I of deliberate or accidental relief of the load,

With the above and other objects in view as may appear hereinafter, reference is directed to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is apartialsectional, partial elevational view of my control means for gas engines, a gas engine with its intake manifold and fuel supply line from the carburetor being shown substantially diagrammatical.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the vacuum cylinder and operating rod, showing a shut-01f switch associated therewith.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view of my control means wherein a vacuum switch is interposed in the vacuum line 0.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatical view showing the switch employed in Figure 2.

My control means for gas motors has, as indicated hereinbefore, particular application to the control of gas motors or engines used to operate well pumps.

In Figure 1 a gas engine A is indicated fragmentarily and diagrammatically. The gas engine includes an intake manifold B into which a fuel and air mixture is supplied from a carburetor or other device, not shown, through a duct C.

Located in the duct C is a throttle valve D which is actuated by an arm E and is limited in its movement toward idling position by an adjustable stop F. My control means includes a cylinder i which contains piston 2. The piston 2 is urged in one direction by a coil spring 3 which bears against a disk 4 the position of which is adjustable by means of a set'screw 5 extending through a cap la covering an end of the cylinder 1. The other end of the cylinder is provided with a cap lb having a central opening and forming a shoulder lc.

The piston I is joined to a connecting rod 6 which extends from the end of the cylinder opposite from the set screw 5 to the operating arm E of the throttle valve D. Interposed in t be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

ably of the disk type. The check valve is provided with a bypass port Ill. Located in the vacuum line 8 between the check valve I and cylinder I is a starter valve II preferably in the form of a three-way valve, the third opening of which forms a bleeder port I2. The starter valve II is provided with an operating arm II which is moved in one direction by a pull wire it and inthe opposite direction by a return spring II.

Operation of my control means is as follows: When starting the engine the starter valve II is moved to the dotted line position shown in Figure 1, in which case the cylinder I is isolated from the manifold and is connected to atmosphere through the bleeder port I2. After starting, the valve is returned to its solid line position. The turnbuckle l' is adjusted so that under the normal load the throttle valve is open the requisite amount. Thus, for normal operation there will exist a substantially constant vacuum pressure inthe manifold which will exert a constant force on the piston so that the throttle valve remains in its set position. Should the I claim: 1. Ina control means for internal combustion engines having a fuel intake manifold, a throttle valve for controlling admission of fuel to said manifold, and an ignition system, the combination of: a piston mechanically connected with said throttle valve; a cylinder for said piston; a spring operable to urge said throttle valve toward its open position; a conduit connecting said cylinder with said manifold whereby the vacuum load be suddenly relieved, the manifold pressure will drop and the pressure in the cylinder I will drop at'a rate determined by the bypass port ll. That is, the pressure in the cylinder I will lag, as it drops, behind the pressure in themanifold. This will cause the throttle to move toward its closed position, or, more accurately, to its idling position-determined by the stop 1".

Should the load be suddenly increased the check valve 9 opens so that the rise in manifold pres-' sure is immediately reflected in the cylinder I causing th throttle valve to open rapidly and meet the new condition. I

In many instances it-is satisfactory that the engine merely drop to idling speed in the event the load is relieved, however, in some i'mt'allapressure in said manifold opposes the force of said spring and tends to close said throttle valve; and an ignition switch for said ignition system adapted to be opened when the pressure in said intake manifold falls below a predetermined value thereby to shut off the engine.

2. In a control means for internal combustion engines having a fuel intake manifold, a throttle valve for controlling admission of fuel to said manifold, and anignition system, the combination of a piston and cylinder means; means linking said piston to said throttle valve; means connecting said cylinder to said intake manifold whereby the pressure in said cylinder reflects the pressure in said manifold and acts on said piston to move said piston in a direction to close said throttle valveas the pressure in said manifold decreases; an adjustable spring means opposing the manifold pressure against said pisand an ignition switch and means movable with said piston to engage and open said switch when the vacuum pressure in said manifold exceeds a predetermined value thereby to shut off said'engine.

3. In a control means for internal combustion engines having a fuel intake manifold, a throttions it is desirable that the engine shutoff should this condition obtain. This may be accomplished by the use of a limit switch If mounted on the cylinder I and having an operating plunger 22 engageable by an operating arm 28 carried by the connecting rod 0, all as shown in Figure ,2. Thus, as the throttle valve moves to its idling speed the limit, switch 2|.isopen. By

, connecting this switch to the ignition of the-engine the engine may be caused to'shut oil.

It should be observed that the between the limit switch in its operatingxarm may be such that the switch will only function-when the load is suddenly relieved virtually'in its 'en-" tirety as would be the case if the engine were driving an oil well pump and the sucker rock should break.

In regard to this application of ages engine equipped with my control means, it should be observed that there is a cyclic fluctuation in load. That is, the load may diminish as the sucker rods are lowered or raised, depending pon whether the pump is overcounterbalanced or 1111- I def-counterbalanced. My controimeans will cause i the power output of engine to decreases the load relieves and to increase quickly as the load isincreesed.

In place of the limit switch ii a vacuum switch 3i may be interposed in-the vacuum line land set so that it will open when the .vacumn therein exceeds a predetermined value. Many other embodiments of the invention may tie valve for controlling admission of fuel to said manifold, and an ignition system, the combination of: vacuum sensitive means communicating with said intake manifold and operatively connected with said throttle valve to move said throttle valve toward its closed position as the pressure in said intake manifold decreases and to open said throttle valve as the manifold pressure rises; an instrumentality positioned to restrict cmnmunication between said intake manifold and said vacuum sensitive means when the pressure'in said manifold drops whereby the re-' sponse ofsaid vacuum sensitive means tends to. lag; and an ignition switch and means responsive to manifold pressure below a predetermined value for opening said switch thereby to shut on said engine.

emme crrnn' The following referencesare of record in the ills of this patent: e

Uni-ran s'ra'rns Pam-1s Number Name Date 1,257,776 Allan Feb. 26. 1918 1,709,949 Rasmussen Apr. 23, 1929 1,861,742 Hand' June 7, 1932 2,062,824 Rockwell eta]. Dec. 1, 1936 r 2,205,458 Ball June 25, 1940 2,356,679 Mallory Aug. 22, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number country Date 456,386 Germany July 18, 1928 751,217

France June 12, 1933 

